


Breakfast

by DivinusQualia



Series: Needing [10]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Acceptance, Akashi is earning a soul, Akashi is working on himself, Apologies, Feelings, Gen, Inner Dialogue, M/M, Midorima is figuring it out, Post Rape, Questions, Reconciliation, i can't tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 04:02:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1115255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DivinusQualia/pseuds/DivinusQualia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another addition to this series at last. Sorry it's short! As always, UNBETA'D. Leave comments /criticism. Thank you. :)</p>
    </blockquote>





	Breakfast

**Author's Note:**

> Another addition to this series at last. Sorry it's short! As always, UNBETA'D. Leave comments /criticism. Thank you. :)

There's an unfamiliar heat along my spine, the tickle of someone else's hair on my skin and I am hyper aware of snoring. The rainforest destroying chainsaw noise comes not from behind me, but from a lumpy figure on the ground. Takao! I'm still at Akashi's house, stunned by my easy victory and hindered by it. The warmth behind me must be Akashi's sleeping form and I carefully rotate to face him. His childlike size is blatantly obvious, the coldness of his mismatched gaze hidden behind smooth lids, and I wonder if I should leave. It seems almost cruel to think about it now, abandoning him in his carefree slumber, but I wasn't supposed to be here anyways. I hear Takao grumble and roll over on the floor, it's only a matter of time before he wakes and drags me out-I need to make my decision. Akashi whimpers and leans into me with a sigh, even asleep he can sway my plans. I stare at his mussed red hair for who knows how long until my eyes are drifting shut on their own accord. It's hard to resist the warmth that no one else expects from a frozen heart. 

Takao wakes me up with a hard shove to my shoulder. There's an empty Akashi sized dent in front of me and Takao pushes me again.   
"Wake up! I can't believe we slept here last night..."  
"Where's Akashi?" I sit up and wonder where my glasses went.   
"He walked over me an hour ago. I think he's downstairs." Takao shrugs as he hands me my glasses. "Are we staying for breakfast?"  
My need to make that conscious decision jumps back to the forefront of my mind, but the angry sound Takao's stomach makes answers for us. I draw myself out of the bed and Takao kicks the pile of blankets he had slept in out of his way.   
"I'm pretty sure Akashi is a demon baby. I mean, his mom was really nice about finding me sleeping in the hall."  
"He's more like his father." I yawn and we shuffle out of the room. "I'll be right down." I turn to the bathroom and Takao shrugs before heading down the stairs. Akashi's bathroom is impeccable, neat and lightly scented with vanilla-a familiar note that always hangs around him-and one toothbrush. I relieve myself and brush my teeth with a finger, as I wonder if the vanilla will follow me home. I wash my hands quickly and leave. Halfway down the stairs the heavy scent of bacon suffocates me, growing stronger with every step but diffusing in the air. On the first floor, it begins to smell like pancakes. Takao is sitting at the counter with his plate, gleefully chomping on bacon and Akashi is intently focused on his girdle. 

"Those we're the best pancakes I've ever had! How do you-"  
"Family secret. Did you also enjoy your breakfast, Shintarou?" Akashi's gaze is unwavering but there are flickers of emotion behind them.   
"They were... Good. Thank you." I give a quick nod and Takao flails at the counter.  
"I just wanted to know how you timed them!"  
"Silence, baka. Think about it." Akashi's golden eye flashes and Takao pouts.   
"Thank you for your hospitality, Akashi. Takao and I must be going." I rise carefully, as if he might grab me and demand I stay. It's a pleasant shock when he nods slowly.   
"I understand. Perhaps we will have another chance to talk. Soon, hopefully." He modestly lowers his eyes but they quickly snap back up to mine. "I'll walk you out." He pushes away and up from the table, but it's slow and I wonder if it's not to startle me or to keep me here longer. I assume it's a bit of both.   
"Thank you, Akashi." I bow slightly.   
"Yeah, man. Thanks for the awesome pancakes. I think I scared your Mom last night though, so tell her sorry for me!" Takao claps Akashi on the back but he doesn't even react.   
"You're welcome. And I'm sure you didn't scare her." He runs a hand through his red hair and Takao grins at me.   
"I'm going to wait in the cart." He waves as he exits the kitchen and Akashi simply stares at me. I let him, for some reason his mismatched eyes don't fill me with dread and shame anymore.   
"Shintarou... I wish to thank you for speaking to me. And thank you for coming. I accept you haven't forgiven me, because even I do not believe I am to be forgiven." His golden eye seems a bit dim when he looks up to me, but the tears on the verge of dripping onto his cheeks quickly draw my attention. He's cried twice in front of me now. I almost step forward to comfort him but he steps backwards. I sigh.   
"I acknowledge your thanks, Akashi. But it my decision who I forgive or not."   
"Shintarou." Akashi says. I wait for him to finish but he seems done.   
"Thank you for your hospitality, Akashi." I turn but he is suddenly at my elbow. Not touching me, but close and I resist the urge to flinch away.   
"Shintarou, please call me Seiji. Please." He looks small there, I think, by my elbow. Tiny and delicate with hidden strengths but obvious weaknesses if onelooks past his shell of authority. I crack slightly.   
"Seiji." It's softer than I thought I was going to say it. A breath, a ghost of our past, reminiscent of too many whispers in my dark bedroom. Akashi remembers them too, i know because his eyes slide shit and he breathes deeply, quiet. So I speak, breaking him out of his revere. "Seiji, I must be getting home."  
"Of course, Shintarou." He opens his eyes and steps around me to lead me to the front door. "Thank you again." The authority in his voice is strong but the undertones of worry and nerves are there.   
"Goodbye Akashi." I pause. "Goodbye Seiji." I bow before stepping off the front porch and Takao waves from the cart.   
"Shin-chan, I thought you'd gone back to sleep!" He grins and I quickly paste a scowl onto my face.   
"What happened to defending me?"  
"Did he do something?" The humor in his voice dies and his grey eyes are steel.   
"No." I regret the jab. "Take me home." I climb into the cart and see Akashi waiting in the frame of the door. His slight frame is shadowed by the door and he lifts his hand as if to wave before dropping it and shutting the door. I allow my scowl to droop into a pondering frown. I can feel sadness in my chest, a sharp prick, and the image of Akashi-small and regretful-in the dark doorway just might haunt me tonight. 

My last though as we exit the Akashi property is: Should I have been here in the first place?


End file.
